State of blueberry farming in Mississippi
ROY HOWARD COMMUNITY JOURNALISM CENTER- Mississippi’s blueberry farms are shrinking and fewer farmers are entering the field.
One farm in Poplarville is trying to change that, hoping to turn the state fruit into a statewide opportunity.
Kristen Kaylor with the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center reports.
Mississippi’s blueberry industry has seen steady decline in recent years.
Farmer Donald Van de Werken says he’s watched roughly 70 blueberry farms close in the past two decades.
He says that’s largely because older farmers are aging out — and the high cost of land, equipment and time makes it hard for new farmers to take their place. “You either inherit it, or you win the lottery, and you buy a farm. In our case, we started everything from scratch, and I would venture to say to start at our scale, it would cost up to a million dollars.”
That kind of investment forced Van de Werken to think differently when he co-founded J&D Blueberry Farms — finding ways to stretch every dollar and every berry. “We take the fresh blueberries and then we pulp it to make juice, where otherwise, if the berry wasn’t perfect, we would have just tossed it.”
What started as a small patch has grown into a full-scale business.
Today, they produce juice, popsicles, coffee, pastries, ice cream, tea and even dog treats.
The range of products has helped make the farm a cornerstone of Poplarville’s annual Blueberry Jubilee and helped them reach new markets across the country.
“We’re trying to build a brand more than we’re trying to sell. If you build a brand, people tend to recognize you.”
Van de Werken also leads the Gulf South Blueberry Growers Association, a small network of farmers working to keep Mississippi’s blueberry industry alive.
He says one of the biggest challenges comes from international imports — especially from countries like Peru and Colombia.
They grow a variety of berry developed in Mississippi called the Biloxi berry since it grows better in warmer climates.
Van de Werken says Mississippi can stay competitive by investing in food manufacturing and processing facilities to help local growers turn crops into value-added products.
“We would be better off agriculturally and encourage more people to farm.”
